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Stanley Virax

10-08-2008, 03:28 PM

Has anyone seen or used the Stanley Virax http://www.stanleyvirax.com pressing tool yet? Saw it yesterday at a local supply house being demonstrated and was told it was at least $300 less than the Ridgid Propress and can use the Propress jaws or the Rothenberger jaw sets. I kind of liked the way their interchangeable inserts worked and was told by the rep that they are half the cost of other company's jaws
________Vapor Genie

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The money you might save on a Virax could come back to haunt you sooner than you might think. Hydraulic tools need to be serviced periodically for a fee. During this service, the hydraulic fluid is changed, worn components are replaced, etc. For comparison's sake, the manufacturer's stated service intervals of the tools are as follows:

In short, you're going to be incurring a service fee of around several hundred dollars (more or less) between 56% - 63% faster with a Virax tool than you would with a RIDGID tool. It might be nice up front, but RIDGID thinks long term.

Also, did I mention that the Virax solution for large diameter presses is to reccommend the RIDGID XL & XL-C Ring Kits? Follow the leader kids, you'll never go wrong.

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my company recently purchased a REMS Akku-Press. Which was the press tool recommended by our Zurn representative. It was purchased for the 1.25 pex crimps for the risers in an apartment complex we're working on.

I'm not exactly happy with the product, While it feels heavy a lot of the workings of it seem like they fit together rather sloppily, like the battery, and the rotating shaft that contains the hydraulics.

Anyway, I'll likely end up purchasing my own propress at some point in the next year, just for the increase in speed it'll give me, and the decrease in system downtime. And because it's a new toy, and I have to have one.

I agree, it is a heavy bastard. The best part was the Old timer at our shop who got tasked with doing the water mains in the most recent building, just tosses the case in the back of his work truck, and leaves it out there in the rain.
I've pretty well decided that i'm not touching the thing anymore, for fear that it'll short out in my hands.

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how does the price compare to the propress? I'm mostly interested in the system for copper, I have 3 different pex crimping systems in my toolbox already.

Price is similar-sometimes cheaper. I honestly haven't priced either in awhile.

Ridgid is marketed much more and should give you good service. If you're a heavy user of a press tool, I'd lean towards them. More people will know about them, what to do about them, accessories & where to send them to get them going. Limit your downtime.

But if you're an occasional user, I'd consider all others.

Press Tool Makers or sellers of another mfg. design relabeled:
Ridgid
Rothenberger
Nibco
REMS
Stanley Virax
Viega-Yes they have models under their own name. I believe they make Ridgids or Ridgid makes there's.

J.C.

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not to call you guys cheap, but its true-- viega and ridgid started it here together and they own the market--a local hack plumber installed a waterpark in the state with a crap rothencrap press(like jc's) and crap knockoff fittings--i believe hayward. when they turned on the water the day before opening up, they had 300 leaking and bad fittings--- i press everything i do and have never had a bad fitting , NEVER!!!!!! i only use RIDGID AND VIEGA--you cheapos keep using the crap and ill keep fixing it

i just dont understand why???? my reputation is on the line every fitting i press and every sewer i snake. i choose to keep my tools reliability in the hands of ridgid---because they dont let you down---try getting service on the other crap presses---my 320 press is 8 years old and has seen its better days--but still presses like a champ --just as well as my 330 and my compact. my reputation is very important--my clientsdont worry about me having to fix my tools in the driveway!!!!! i just dont know how you can be that much of a tightwad over a few hundred bucks---loosen and smarten up. i guess thats why i have over 20,000 customers in the database

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personally, I sweat all of the copper I touch, which is quite a lot. I'm interested in a press for those occasions where I can't have the system down long, can't get the water to shut all the way off, etc. I'll likely always sweat the bulk of my copper. so yes, I would be interested in shaving off a few hundred bucks on a tool I'll use irregularly, a tool I'll spend my personal funds on, rather than having my company pay for it.

Most likely, when I buy one, it'll be a Ridgid, but that's still an eventuality.
And even if I get a Rothenberger, or Stanley, at least it's not a sharkbite <.<